I am about to remove the bed and I was curious what is the easiest way to access and have the best leverage on the 6 bolts inside the frame?

Also, would the voltage regulator on the back of the instrument cluster be more of the cause of a faulty fuel gauge reading or the senders themselves or better yet a combination of the 2?

Thanks, Kyle

 

If your fuel gauge is always reading low, I would suspect the float has a hole and is sinking. If it always reads high, it could be stuck. Either way, you are correcting in pulling the bed off.

Ford buys locktite by the 55 gallon drum. Bed bolts are very difficult to remove. if you have a cutting torch, or have someone that is very skilled with one around, you'll be saving a lot of time if they can remove the bolts with the torch.

I've removed two beds. One on a 2000 f150 that took torx 57 bits. I bought six bits and had one left when all six bolts were out. I ended up drilling two out, removing two, and breaking the head off of two.

Other than the cutting torch, the usual air tools, impact wrench, or 2 foot breaking bar are options.

 

If this is on your 87 then it should be the same as my 94 that I just removed the bed from. There is no substitute for an impact, either air or electric. Mine looked awful and I was anticipating big problems but I had it off in an hour. Impact, several extensions, an impact swivel and a deep 6-point 18mm impact socket.......that's what it'll take.

Those later model Torx headed ones can be a PITA for sure!

 

ford uses carriage bolts. you try to turn the nuts they are just going to spin and spin. You need to get a angle grinder and grind off the heads of the bolts. its a pain in the a$$ but its the easiest way unless you are feeling lucky.

 

I'm just going to grind the tops out and replace them as needed. I am thinking of putting a flat bed on it.

~Kyle

 

HA i just built one today. used pressure treated 2x4's turned out pretty good

 

Im with ncrancero on this one. I used my impact, swivel, and extensions to pull the bed off my 97 a few months ago. I only had one spin on me.

 

The impact spun all but one of the nuts off easily. The very back left wanted to push up to where the square wouldn't hold it. I wedged a 1x4 under the bed liner to hold pressure on the top side and then off it came. I completely removed the bed by myself in an hour or so.

LOL, I'm putting a flat bed on mine also! Maybe we need to start a "FLATBED" section.

 

Any pics of the flatdeck?

 

how do i post pics

 

Upload them to a website (facebook, photobucket) then paste the link here

 

Jason Heritage's Photos | Facebook

 

its not done yet but thats what i was able to get done today

 

 

There ya go,

Not bad looks a bit higher on the passenger side tho